This invention relates to a painless method and device for causing temporary and/or permanent cessation of hair growth using flashlamps. Unwanted hair is an extremely common problem which can be caused by many reasons. There are many products and methods for temporarily and permanently removing hair. The methods can be very temporary such as in waxing, shaving, plucking and depilatory creams. These methods, however temporary, are very popular due to cost, quickness and/or absence of pain involved in the procedure. Electrolysis has been proven to be extremely slow and painful but is popular because of the claimed permanency and economical cost. Laser methods such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,907 which uses a light absorbing cream in contact with the hair to create heat and destroy the hair have been shown to be painful and mostly temporary. Other laser treatments such as those stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,568 use laser generated optical pulses directed through a transparent contact device which are absorbed by melanin in the hair follicle which consequently heats the hair follicle and permanently removes it. This method is effective but can be very painful since the high temperature necessary to destroy the hair follicle also destroys some surrounding tissue and skin which can result in hyper-pigmentation, blistering and possible scarring.